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Georgian National Rugby team beat Switzerland with record score
Player of the Match, Aka Tabutsadze (Photo by Georgian Rugby Union)
TBILISI, February 3, 2025 - The Georgian national rugby team defeated the Swiss national team with a crushing score of 110-0. This Group A match of the European Championship 2025 took place on February 1st in Tbilisi. Before the game, rugby fans and experts expected the Georgian team, which is ranked 12th in the world and 7th in the Europe, to win, but few thought that the Georgian team would win by such a landslide and surpass its previous record, set in 2007. Then, 18 years ago, Georgia won in Tbilisi against the Czech Republic with a score of 98-3.
In the match against Switzerland, Georgia took the lead from the very first minutes and won the first half with a score of 42-0, and in the second half, the hosts' advantage was even more solid. The spectators who filled the stands of the “Avchala” stadium in Tbilisi gave the Georgian players a standing ovation (Georgia-Switzerland- 110-0). The 27 year-old Aka Tabutsadze was named the best player of the match.
(Photo by Georgian Rugby Union)
The head coach of the Georgian national team since January 2024 has been the famous English specialist Richard Cockerill. After the victory over Switzerland, he said that he was "happy with the quality and result of the game." He added: "We have important matches ahead and this game with Switzerland gave us the opportunity to check the condition of the players, including young rugby players - debutants."
Tornike Gogebashvili (the executive director of the Georgian Rugby Union) said: “31 years ago Georgia won Switzerland with a difference of one goal (22-21, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, June 1994) now they won 110-0. The Georgian national team has achieved success in recent years, our team is progressing quickly and this is seen in Europe.”
On February 8, the Georgian national rugby team will play a European Championship match with the Netherlands in Tbilisi, at the same stadium “Avchala”, then on February 16, they will play with Spain in Madrid.
Group B of the European Championship includes Portugal, Romania, Belgium and Germany. The top two teams from each groups (A & B) will advance to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be held on March 1 and 2, and the final is scheduled for March 16. The top four teams of the European Championship will qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
The Georgian national rugby team has participated in the World Cup six times (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023), won the Rugby Europe International Championships 17 times - the last time: March 17, 2024. The Rugby Europe International Championships tournament does not include teams from the Six Nations Championship (England, Ireland, France, Scotland, Wales and Italy), but this does not diminish the victory of Georgia, who is trying to win the right to join the SNC (Six Nations Championship).
With continued success and leadership from coach Richard Cockerill, the Georgian national rugby team is poised for further achievements on the international stage. Their recent victories highlight their potential and ambition to compete at the highest levels of rugby.
In the match against Switzerland, Georgia took the lead from the very first minutes and won the first half with a score of 42-0, and in the second half, the hosts' advantage was even more solid. The spectators who filled the stands of the “Avchala” stadium in Tbilisi gave the Georgian players a standing ovation (Georgia-Switzerland- 110-0). The 27 year-old Aka Tabutsadze was named the best player of the match.
The head coach of the Georgian national team since January 2024 has been the famous English specialist Richard Cockerill. After the victory over Switzerland, he said that he was "happy with the quality and result of the game." He added: "We have important matches ahead and this game with Switzerland gave us the opportunity to check the condition of the players, including young rugby players - debutants."
Tornike Gogebashvili (the executive director of the Georgian Rugby Union) said: “31 years ago Georgia won Switzerland with a difference of one goal (22-21, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, June 1994) now they won 110-0. The Georgian national team has achieved success in recent years, our team is progressing quickly and this is seen in Europe.”
On February 8, the Georgian national rugby team will play a European Championship match with the Netherlands in Tbilisi, at the same stadium “Avchala”, then on February 16, they will play with Spain in Madrid.
Group B of the European Championship includes Portugal, Romania, Belgium and Germany. The top two teams from each groups (A & B) will advance to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be held on March 1 and 2, and the final is scheduled for March 16. The top four teams of the European Championship will qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
The Georgian national rugby team has participated in the World Cup six times (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023), won the Rugby Europe International Championships 17 times - the last time: March 17, 2024. The Rugby Europe International Championships tournament does not include teams from the Six Nations Championship (England, Ireland, France, Scotland, Wales and Italy), but this does not diminish the victory of Georgia, who is trying to win the right to join the SNC (Six Nations Championship).
With continued success and leadership from coach Richard Cockerill, the Georgian national rugby team is poised for further achievements on the international stage. Their recent victories highlight their potential and ambition to compete at the highest levels of rugby.
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